Diving Hurghada: start in Makadi Bay

Diving Hurghada: why it pays to start in Makadi Bay

If you are searching for diving in Hurghada, you do not have to get into the water in the city itself. Our PADI 5 Star dive centre is in Madinat Makadi in Makadi Bay, around 30 minutes south of Hurghada. From there you dive the house reef straight off our own jetty and reach reefs, walls and wrecks after a short boat ride. This article explains how diving in Makadi Bay works, which dive sites are on the programme and who the centre is suited to.

Makadi Bay or Hurghada: where is the dive centre?

Makadi Bay lies about 30 km south of Hurghada on the west coast of the Red Sea. The Madinat Makadi dive centre is right next to a hotel and has its own jetty. If you are staying at a hotel in Makadi Bay, we pick you up and bring you back free of charge. All you need to bring is a towel.

If you are staying in Hurghada itself, please arrange the transfer with us before booking. For guests north of Hurghada there is also a centre in El Gouna.

The house reef: diving without a boat ride

The Makadi Bay house reef is directly in front of the dive centre. You enter from the jetty and dive at your own pace. Guided house reef dives take place daily in the morning and in the afternoon. On certain days of the week there are also early morning dives, sunset dives and house reef trips by Zodiac or felucca, some of them for a surcharge.

The house reef is handy for your first day: check dive, getting your weighting right, testing your equipment. It also gets you into the water without much planning if you only have half a day or are travelling with non-divers.

Boat trips from Makadi Bay

Most of the dive sites are reached by boat. All trips start at the centre in Madinat Makadi.

• Half-day trip in the morning: two dives at two sites.
• Half-day trip in the afternoon: one dive.
• Full-day trip: two to three dives at sites further away, with lunch and drinks on board.

The short runs are covered by 11-metre felucca-style boats with a sun deck and toilet. For full-day trips there are larger day boats with a sun deck, lounge and dive platform. The weekly schedule is fixed but may change depending on the weather and sea conditions. If a particular site matters to you, ask beforehand on which day it is visited.

Dive sites: what you see when diving in Makadi Bay

The centre's list includes more than 20 sites. Here is a selection for different experience levels:

For beginners and relaxed dives

• Abu Hashish Lagoon: shallow, calm sandy bay 3 to 12 metres deep. Here you see rays, seahorses in the seagrass and, at dusk, octopuses too. Suitable for beginners and for children aged 8 and over.
• Abu Ramada South: extensive coral plateau with gullies and small overhangs, little current and regular turtle sightings.
• Gota Abu Ramada: free-standing coral block with schools of anthias and glassfish. Napoleon wrasse stay around the base of the reef.

For advanced divers

• Ras Disha: reef edge with changing, at times strong current. For the deeper section you need the Advanced Open Water Diver. From October to April hammerhead sharks are occasionally sighted here, as well as eagle rays.
• Torfa Abu Makadi and Sharm El Arab: wall dives in the half-day boat programme.

Wrecks

• El Mina: you can dive the outside of the wreck without a wreck specialty course. For the interior you need the Advanced Open Water Diver or wreck experience.
• Salem Express: one of the best-known wrecks in the Red Sea. You can read the background in the article on the Salem Express wreck.

You will find all sites in the overview of dive sites in Makadi Bay. Detailed descriptions with currents and visibility are in the article Best dive sites in Makadi Bay.

Best time to go diving near Hurghada

You can dive in Makadi Bay all year round. The water is about 22 °C in February and March and up to 29 °C in August and September. Visibility is usually best from November to April. A wetsuit is recommended, and you can rent one at the centre. How the seasons differ at the other locations is covered in the article on the best time to dive in Egypt.

Dive courses and prices

The centre offers PADI courses for children, beginners, certified divers and aspiring professionals. There are two air-conditioned classrooms for the theory. You save 10 % when you book online. The current prices are in the dive centre's price list.

To see which starting point suits you, go to the beginner courses in Makadi Bay.

Equipment and service at the centre

• Rental equipment exclusively from ScubaPro, serviced regularly
• your own equipment box for the whole of your stay
• 12 and 15 litre cylinders, all with DIN valves, INT adapters free on request
• Nitrox free for certified Nitrox divers
• Showers, lockers, free Wi-Fi and a dive shop
• Oxygen and first aid equipment on all boats and at the centre

The centre does not have a bar or restaurant; you will find both in the hotel next door.

Frequently asked questions about diving near Hurghada and in Makadi Bay

How far is Makadi Bay from Hurghada?

The dive centre in Madinat Makadi is about 30 km, or around 30 minutes, south of Hurghada.

Do I need a boat for every dive?

No. You reach the house reef from the centre's jetty. Most of the other dive sites are reached by boat.

How many dives are possible per day?

Two to three is usual. In the morning you generally do two dives from the boat, and one more in the afternoon.

Are there sharks in Makadi Bay?

Hammerhead sharks are occasionally sighted at Ras Disha, mainly from October to April. Sharks are rare at the shallower sites.

Which sites are suitable for beginners?

Abu Hashish Lagoon and the house reef. When there is little current, Gota Abu Ramada is an option too.

Book dives in Makadi Bay

On the page Diving in Makadi Bay you will find all the information about the centre. You can reserve dive packages and courses with a 10 % discount via the price list and online booking. We answer questions about transfers, the weekly schedule or courses via the Makadi Bay contact page.